Mops for dry or wet cleaning



Sept 3 1957 P. s. vosBlKIAN ETAL 2,804,638

MOPS FOR DRY OR WET CLEANING Filed July 26, 1956 ff QP) y 7' United States Patent 2,804,638 Patented Sept. 3, 1957 life MOPS FOR DRY R WET CLEANING Peter Vosbikian and Thomas S. Vosbikian, Melrose, Pa.

Application July 26, 1956, Serial No. 600,257

7 Claims. (Cl. 15-229) The object of this invention is to devise a novel construction and arrangement of a mop which can use dry or wet cleaning material, the mop head being free for angular adjustment relatively to the mop handle.

A further object of the invention is to devise a novel construction of a mop head and novel means to connect it with the mop handle.

A further object of the invention is to devise novel tension means for the loops which carry the cleaning material.

Other novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafter appear in the detailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, we have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of it which we have found, in practice, to give satisfactory and reliable results. It is, however, to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not limited, except by the scope of the appended claims to the exact arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein set forth.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a mop embodying our invention with a loop broken away and cleaning material omitted.

Figure 2 is a top plan view, with a loop broken away and a top plate and handle removed.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation on line 4 4 of Fig. 1 with the mop handle at right angles to the position seen in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an exploded view showing in perspective the body portion'of the mop head.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the mop head and the loops which carry the cleaning material.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the manner in which a loop is received in a pocket of the flexible backing of cleaning material.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings:

The body portion of the mop consists of a top plate 1 and a bottom plate 2, said plates being flanged so that one nests in the other. The top plate 1 has end anges 3 and side flanges 4, the latter having slots or cut-outs 5 near their ends. The central portion of the top plate is deilected upwardly to form a raised bearing 6 having an aperture 7 through it. The top of the plate has near its ends laterally extending slots 8.

The bottom plate 2 has upwardly extending end anges 9 and side flanges 10, the end anges being cut away at their top portion to form locking strips 11 which extend into the slots 8 of the top plate. The central portion of the bottom plate is upwardly deected to form an inset bearing portion 13 having an aperture 14. The end anges 9 have apertures 15 and 16 to pivotally receive the inturned ends of the side arms of loops 17 and 18 open at one end and spaced from the central portion of the body portion. The inturned ends of a loop at one side of the body portion, the loop 17, extend into coils of a spring 19, and in a similar manner the inturned ends of loop 18 extends into coils of a spring 20. These springs 19 and 20 are contained in the space between the top and bottom plates. The central portion of the springs is devoid of coils and form overlapping U-shaped portions 21 and 22, respectively. The free ends of the spring 19 are bent around side arms of the loop 17, and the free ends of the spring 20 are bent around side arms of loop 18.

A bolt 23 has a at head 24 and its shank passes downwardly through aperture 7 of the top plate, U-shaped portions of the springs and aperture 14 in the bottom plate and is retained in its adjusted position by a nut 25, a bearing washer 26 being provided, if desired.

A mop handle 27, preferably tubular, has its forward end pressed together and slit to provide spaced rounded ends 28 to receive the flat head 24 of bolt 23. A fastening device 29 inthe form of a bolt and a nut secures the cleaned has a flexible backing secured to its top face and is provided with pockets 32 spaced from the central portion of the cleaning material and adapted to receive the loops 17 and 18. This cleaning material may consist of strands of cotton, nylon, spaghetti type, or any other desired material for dry or wet mopping, or it may consist of a block of cellulose or plastic sponge material with a flexible backing on its top face with spaced pockets to receive the loops. When the loops are in the pockets of the cleaning material and folded downwardly the cleaning solution will be extracted, as is evident.

The body portion is normally free to turn on the bolt but can be xed in position if desired by tightening the nut.

The U-shaped portions of the springs are bent upwardly and contact the bottom face of the top plate so that when the plates are moved together a tension is placed on the springs to maintain the loops in horizontal alignment.

When the mop is moved over the surface to be cleaned, the mop head with the cleaning material is free to turn and automatically adjust its position relatively to the handle in a universal manner of movement.

A spring 33 may be used between bearing portion 6 of the top plate and rounded portion 2S of the mop handle.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mop, comprising a body portion having a top plate with end and side iianges and a bottom plate with end and side flanges, one plate being nested in the other plate in spaced relationship therewith to forni a spring receiving chamber, spaced loops open at one end and having their free ends pivoted in the end flanges of one plate, cleaning material carried by said loops, a pair of coil springs spaced from each other in said chamber, one for each loop, with the free ends of each spring contacting the side arms of its respective loop tensioning said loops to normally retain them in horizontal alignment, a fastening device passing through said plates and on which said body portion is free to turn, and a mop handle pivoted at its forward end to said fastening device.

2. The construction defined in claim l, wherein the central portions of the springs have overlapping portions one of which contacts the top plate to place a tension on the springs.

3. The construction claimed in claim l, wherein the bottom plate has slots through its bottom to provide ment of the loops.

4. In a mop structure for holding cleaning material, a body portion having top and bottom plates spaced from each other, loops for holding cleaning material having open ends with the open ends spaced from each other and pivoted to the body portion and having movement in one direction limited by the body portion to a horizontal alignment of the loops, said body portion having cutouts to permit folding movement of the loops in the opposite direction, a pair of coil springs between said plates, each spring being provided with spaced coils carried by the free ends of their respective loops, being tensioned by said body portion, with the free ends of each spring bearing against side arms of its respective loop to normally maintain the loops in horizontal alignment, a bolt securing the plates in assembled condition and on which the body portion is free to turn, and a handle pivoted to said bolt.

5. In a mop structure for holding cleaning material, a body portion having top and bottom flanged plates nested together, one of said plates having laterally extending slots and the other plate having portions to enter said slots and align the plates, loops for holding cleaning material having open ends, with the ends spaced from each other and pivoted to one of said plates, springs between said plates having coils into which the loops extend, the central portions of the springs having overlapping portions one of which contacts the top plate to place a tension on the springs and normally retain the loops in horizontal alignment, said plates having cutouts to provide clearance for folding movement of the loops, a bolt securing the plates in assembled condition and on which the body portion is free to turn, and a mop handle pivoted to said bolt.

6. A mop head having a body portion consisting of a top and a bottom plate, each having side and end anges and assembled in spaced relationship, a pair of open ended loops for carrying cleaning material having the free ends of their side arms pivoted to one of said plates with the free ends of the pair of loops spaced from each other, the movement of the loops in one direction being limited by the top plate, a pair of coil springs extending laterally between said plates, one for each loop, each spring having coil portions mounted on the free ends of its respective loop with the free ends of each spring bearing against side arms of its respective loop to normally maintain the loops in horizontal alignment, each spring having a portion receiving pressure from the top plate to tension the spring, and a fastening bolt passing through said plates and maintaining them in assembled condition.

7. The construction defined in claim 6, wherein the central portions of the springs form overlapping loops and the fastening bolt passes through said overlapping loops.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 129,205 Bell July 16, 1872 1,186,915 Landis June 13, 191.6 1,344,936 Beaudet June 29, 1920 1,989,825 Schaefer `et al. Feb. 5, 1935 2,638,616 Fatland May 19, 1953 2,739,329 Finch Mar. 27, 1956 

